Ecumenical Patriarch Anastasios

Ecumenical Patriarch Anastasios (695-754) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 730 to 754, succeeding Ecumenical Patriarch Germanos and preceding Ecumenical Patriarch Konstantinos II.

Biography
Anastasios became the Patriarch of Constantinople in 730, and he followed the policy of iconoclasm despite initially opposing them. When Artavasdos of Byzantium seized power in 741 from Constantine V of Byzantium, Anastasios decided to protect icons, changing his position again so that he would continue his tenure under Constantine. Anastasios excommunicated Constantine V, but in 743 Constantine retook Constantinople and had Anastasios stripped of office, whipped, and blinded before being paraded through the streets. He had to change his position back to iconoclasm and his title was restored. Anastasios reigned until his 754 death.